“God sets the lonely in families . . . “(Psalm 68:6, NIV)Isn’t that a beautiful promise?To the one today who is lonely or feels orphaned, to the one who is widowed or feels alone and forgotten – God has not forgotten you. He sees you, He loves you, He hears you and He has already made provision for your care. How? Through His people. Throughout the arc of Scripture, a recurring command is to care for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. As we read in Deuteronomy, God was very clear about how to care for these and that doing so would result in great blessing. On the flip side, to not care for these would be a sin.The culture of the Bible was a “we” culture, they were communal and valued hospitality. This is not necessarily what we see reflected in our own culture. We are an “I” culture; we prize independence. Quite often our families are separated by geography and we can easily live in neighborhoods and never know our neighbors, or see them!So, how can we practically live out the command to care for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, and how can we move from loneliness toward belonging? With intent and invitation. Is there someone you know who could use an invitation to your church or your table? Who do you know today that needs to be “included” or cared for? Whatever your answer is, it will require intentionality on your part.God sets the lonely in families and He wants to use us to be that family.